Introduction
Spatial planning of Dubai involves the public sector function that influences the distribution of activities in the city. The town’s concept consists of creating a more rational organization of the urban center to ensure effective land use and the linkage between them. Spatial planning is essential for Dubai as it balances the demand for development to achieve economic and social objectives while protecting the environment. Spatial design of the city takes into consideration changes in local and global conditions. Dubai continues to grow, and it is essential to achieve a more distributed economic development within the town before market forces shape them. Some of the factors that the authorities are considering to ensure effectiveness in the operations in the city include marine and transport integration, public engagement in the planning process and the right development of plan policy.
Spatial planning of Dubai would also include the planning that would influence the distribution of activities and people in various spaces to improve the already-built social and economic environments. Dubai’s spatial planning provides a guide in the city’s development for its current purposes and beyond. It is based on synthesis and background analysis of relevant and prevailing environmental aspects, including the response to global economic activities and urban development’s historical threshold. In this paper, there is a provision of spatial planning of Dubai. Some of the current elements in the city, projection of the future and whether the strategies are right to achieve social, economic, and environmental growth for the city during the projected time will be considered.
Dubai Spatial Planning
In the last decade, Dubai emerged as a metropolitan area with a wide range and diverse, complex aspects. From 1950, the hybrid population in the city has grown about 100 times. The urban area has also extended to about 400 times. One of the factors driving the city’s changes is the economic activities driven by its spatial plan. Spatial planning of the city considers the global downturn experienced in the past and other ranges of issues related to the naturally built environment, geographical context, infrastructure, accessibility, economic competency, and socio-economic dimensions. Planning of the city has been done over time and effective changes have been made to ensure sustainability of the city and respond effectively to globalization.
Socio-economic and Demographic Dimensions
The city’s spatial planning looks at the main future drivers of growth that are in line with the national, regional, and broader global contexts. These settings inform demographic and economic analysis. In the last decade, Dubai mainly relied on trade and business activities for its growth. As of 2005, revenues generated from oil and gas activities accounted for 6% of the revenues collected (Bagaeen, 2007). Over 40% of the revenues collected were generated from finance and trade services. 22.6% of revenue was collected from construction and real estate investments, and 25% from aviation-related services (Elessawy, 2017). The economic downturn in 2008 changed most operations in the city. According to the Dubai Statistics Center, the economic downturn led to the economy’s contraction by -2.4 and later grew by 2.3 in 2010 (Elessawy, 2017). The crisis made the government change the reliance on some of the activities for its economy. Dependence on the construction and real estate sector was reduced. Currently, the rate of economic activities in Dubai is increasing from the change in focus on different sectors. Some of the areas that are growing include trade and tourism. The city attracts tourists who encourage economic activities and increases revenue.
In this planning, establishing a broad and robust basis for creating a future in economic and social activities allows for the overall growth in employment rates over the period. It is estimated that employment rates will grow by 3.5% years over the next ten years (Hannam, 2018). When the indicative target is achieved, the rates of individual sectors will be attained. These activities will ensure a tested implication for land and infrastructure use.
Dubai’s population is a complex and hybrid composition; 91% of the population are expatriates and laborers, tourists and visitors, and 9% national (Hannam, 2018). There is uncertainty in demographic and economic indicators at the local levels. In these cases, the spatial structure plan includes measures that give the flexibility to accommodate all the potential growths in the future. The Dubai Statistic Center approximated the population of the city to be at 1.905 million in 2010 (Kocjan, 2017). One of the factors in spiral planning is estimating the population growth and employment rise in the next years. High growth scenarios indicate a population growth of 5% between 2010 and 2015. The estimates also show that the population growth between 2015 and 2020 was at 7% per annum (Hannam, 2018). The rates are likely to increase to about 9% per annum between 2020 and 2025 (Kocjan, 2017). Medium growth situations indicate economic increase and consider the dependency factor. Many of the citizens will have their lives improved depending on the industrial development in Dubai.
In the next five years, low growth scenarios of the city estimate that the population will remain constant or have a slight increase. The parameter is an assumed responsibility to the federal government’s current activities to mitigate the number of citizens in the community in the long-term. Low growth rates estimate a 2% growth rate every year (Kocjan, 2017). Tourism is increasing, and this is another element taken into consideration in estimating the population in the next five years. Strong promotion of tourism will continue to be an essential factor in the development of Dubai. Visitors also continue to increase the city’s population, which will significantly impact demand for infrastructure, land use, and services requirements.
Population growth is a major consideration when determining the position of the city in the next five years. Population pressure is one of the crucial factors to look at in Dubai’s planning as it dictates the resources that will be available to the citizens over time. Additionally, it dictates the economic activities, including production in a different sector, social movements in the city, and housing. Adjustments in the city planning needs to take dynamic residents into consideration. The residents have changing tastes and preferences and variations have to adapt to them.
Urbanization Context
Dubai extends on sea and land. The mainland covers about 3978 square kilometers. About 20% of the land is covered by projects under construction and existing urban buildings. The buildings and development projects are located west of the outer by-pass road. It is approximated that the undeveloped land is about 20% of the mainland in Dubai. Sea land in the territory of the city covers about 1450 square kilometers (Virtudes, Abbara and Sá, 2017). As of 2008, about 23% of the land was subjected to reclamation and dredging (Kocjan, 2017). The activities land reclamation techniques lead to human-made islands. The new areas were partially developed and urbanized by 2010.
Several mega projects were initiated in the city and estimated to have a carrying capacity of 9.5 million inhabitants (Elessawy, 2017). The estimated population excludes the current residents. The mega projects and the increase in capacity are not intended for local inhabitants but also attract foreign investments. Most of the projects that had been developed before were abandoned after the 2008 economic reduction in growth (Kocjan, 2017). After the global impact, the Dubai government reduced its dependency on the real estate and construction sector. Some of the projects that had been initiated to increase the rates of inhabitation were abandoned. Some of the already commenced projects were completed and led to an increase in capacity to about 1.4 residents (Kocjan, 2017). Outside the projects, spare space has been created in the past five years to accommodate the new population and respond to the industrial sector’s growth.
Social Planning
The current social planning in Dubai and the broader region encourages separating non-nationals from national resident districts. Expatriates living in the city and their environments are mainly concreted and created by the private sector. Citizens, on the other hand, have their residences controlled by the government. The government subsidizes residents. Traditions in the city encourage every native-born citizen household to get a government subsidy composed of a piece of land estimated to about 10,000 square feet (Elessawy, 2017). The housing given to the residents has no subsidies and no chance of moving to new houses. The policy has made most of the natives occupy most parts of the city. Urban planners argue that urban densification is crucial for social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Planners also argue that densification stimulates productivity.
Dubai is absorbing the values brought about by urbanism. The city is reducing the absence of intimate relationships among individuals living in the city. Personal relationships are also reduced. The concept of community neighborhoods is disappearing with time. Such a trend is a challenge to planning the city. In previous years, planning has mainly been based on social and cultural interactions. Movement and getting together was an important consideration for exchange of culture and beliefs.
Having districts for locals and nonlocals is not effective for future planning of Dubai. It is crucial to have individuals from different races and regions socialize in their neighborhoods. The uniqueness of the city would be achieved when there is the interaction between individuals. The interaction between individuals and reducing the districts will have a social impact on the city and economic impacts. The current housing planning is effective but creating districts to differentiate the individuals living in the city is not effective. Even in situations where personal relationships are not encouraged, it is crucial to have policies enabling all residents to live in their preferred areas.
Culture and Tradition and Effects on Growth
The Middle East had its architecture influenced following the First World War. The Arabian tastes in architecture have been passed down the years since the time. Urban planning was not a consideration in the tradition of the building and construction sector. The 1930s led to changes in architectural designs. Many of the Middle East individuals moved away from the traditional gated organic fabric cities, which were the main Arab preferences to expansions based on master plans. There was a need to widen the roads and infrastructure that could accommodate a large population. New guideline forms and setbacks were important at the time. The 1930s led to the first shifts in urban planning by the local governments. During the 1950s and 1960s, the governments’ major shifts as renowned architectures were contracted to help in planning and building public institutions. From the times, there have been developments in many areas guided by government policies. Changing from the building’s historical and cultural contexts has been crucial for the development of the city as there is increased conservation of space and sustainability in every building.
The current transitions in the urbanization of Dubai lack a transition period. Historically, the transitions enabled the evolution of cultures. Additionally, through the transitions, cultures could strengthen and expand. Under cultural conditions, there is a reduced expansion in ideas. Currently, technology has greatly impacted the activities in the architectural sector in Dubai. Most of the ideas borrowed from the west have led to internationally-styled buildings that do not consider traditional cultures. Moreover, the increased population needs a change in infrastructure.
Technological advancements have led to changes in the cultural elements of the city. Currently, sustainability in the organization’s structures and activities has been important than the preservation of culture and tradition. Technological advancements need to be considered as an important element in planning for the city. Sustaining every individual’s existence in the city is crucial, and this will need the creation of an artificial environment that could only be achieved through the application of technology in every aspect of the city.
Marine and Transport Integration
Dubai authorities recognize the importance of integrating marine transport. The city is currently considering a highly attractive location for increased transport and business. Planning for the activities in the industry is important for getting the full potential of marine operations. Authorities predict a growth in the operations in the sector making considering having the right strategies to achieve full potential. In the next five years, Dubai could be among the leading maritime globally.
Environmental Sustainability
The population increase in Dubai has led to rethinking about the impacts of different activities in the environment. Urbanization and industrialization have impacted all living environments. Natural assets will need to be preserved despite all these activities. The environment in Dubai has been endangered by the increasing pressure of unlimited projects and population growth. Dubai has been a city of green footprint. The government has had policies in place for conservation of environment through the reduction of pollution.
The urban planning of Dubai is crucial in stopping the trend. Ecological landscape planning is an important element of spatial planning needed in economic life, and ecological conservation is an important element in the conservation of the environment. Dubai is becoming strongly dependent on the neighboring ecosystem. It is currently meeting its important needs, including food, raw materials, water, and energy, through the neighboring ecosystem’s activities. Waste management is a crucial element in this case. One of the important elements to consider is harmony with the environment from the environmental problems experienced in Dubai. Consideration of the ecosystems is important to ensure that the city’s resources could be used to sustain the population for the longest time.
The urban and natural ecosystem is an important factor to include in understanding the sustainable planning of Dubai. The current consideration of environmental factors in the operations of Dubai authorities are effective. Environmental sustainability is an important element in policies by the authorities to guide planning in the city. In the next years, the policies will ensure conservation of both marine and land resources to enable sustainability in the next decades.
Urbanization Parameters
Physical and environmental opportunities and limitations determine the urbanization perimeters of Dubai. Additionally, there is a look at the economic and social trends for urban growth. After considering opportunities and constraints in Dubai for future growth, four areas can be identified, reflecting the quality in physical and environmental elements of the city. The areas reflect the urban settlement characteristics and the right land management implications. The areas are important for determining some of the expected growth in the future. The four district areas include two non-urban areas, an urban metropolitan area, and an offshore urban sensitive area. These areas are shown in the figure below.
The areas shown in the figure above are based on the activities in the regions, the environment impacts that they have on the general development of the city and culture that have led to the developments of the regions.
Legislative and Policy Framework
Government policies and legislations are part of the implementation of the spatial plan. Three options can be deduced from the current planning system. The frameworks are in line with the development of other global cities. Some of the areas where government policies impact Dubai’s planning includes statutory planning and urban management, strategic planning, and development assessment and control. These are key planning areas that have to be considered in the city’s operations to get the best results.
When planning and implementing new systems in the city, it would be important to comply with the urban planning within Dubai’s governance, mainly implemented by the Supreme Urban Planning Council. The body is responsible for coordinating and planning activities. The activities of the legislative body have been effective in the past five years. It is expected that the projections for the next five years will be achieved through the right guidance of the body’s activities.
Several support mechanisms are important and would be used to enhance the successful implementation of all the city plans. Initiate & Prepare Planning and Environmental Act is a law in place that has effectively guided the country’s projects and ensured that they are as per the needs of the city. The law effectively facilitates and clarifies the planning process, makes plans, and provides guidance on activities that would bring about the right output. The system needs the right output, and the activities must be guided. Prepare Emirate-Wide Urban & Environmental Management Plan is another important guidance in building and ensuring that all the city plans are achieved. The body can support the structure planning process. It focuses on land use, development parameters, policymaking in developments in the city, and ensuring sustainability in the development activities.
Strategic Directions for Future Implementations
Several strategic directions can be defined based on the visions for the city, opportunities, and challenges for urban growth. The next five years’ strategic directions reflect a multi-dimensional approach to guide the continued development of the city. These plans and strategies may be reviewed over time when needed. These directions cover several areas, including protecting the flexibility in the city’s growth, protecting and facilitating economic activities in Dubai, consolidating the current and future development projects, conserving the natural systems, and facilitating social needs. The strategic directions are meant to broaden connectivity, movement, and accessibility and protect open space systems’ sustainability.
In spatial planning, economic infrastructure and connectivity are the most important elements of the city. The current economic opportunities activities are the backbone of the city, and planning needs to consider factors that will enhance the activities. The analysis shows increased economic activity growth, and Dubai is moving from the reliance on the construction and real estate sector. The provision of growth by relevant opportunities is essential for achieving sustainability in Dubai.
Development projects have been a major consideration in the past. Consolidation of these projects will be crucial for the sustainability of the city. The consolidation of projects ensures an increased focus on those projects to ensure the population pressure is effectively managed. Additionally, the application of technology in every aspect of the products is crucial. Sustainability will be achieved when the organization moves from the traditional and cultural practices of settlement and embrace technology in every aspect of planning in Dubai. Environmental consideration is another important element in the development of Dubai. The city currently is developed both onshore and offshore. The population pressure has led to increased pollutions. Embracing recycling and strategies that ensures the conservation of natural resources. Conservation would also be effective for promoting sustainable open space systems.
The current social structure of the city is not effective for development. It is important to look at factors that ensure that both local and nonlocals. Neighborhoods need to be developed such that interactions between the individuals bring about an impact on the economy. Connectivity broadening and accessibility would be achieved when building the right neighborhoods where every individual living in the city can freely interact. A personal relationship is not an important element in the social structuring of the city. Still, there is a need to allow individuals to get to share their culture. Economic sustainability and increased productivity would be achieved in the next years.
Conclusion
In Dubai’s spatial planning, opportunities and constraints were considered covering the economic hubs, effective use of land resources, access and mobility in the city, housing, open space, and community facilities to encourage social growth and natural environment aspects. Dubai was increasingly dependent on economic and trade activities and shifted from constructing the real estate sector. It is crucial to ensure that city planning is done considering the factors that will increase the country’s economic activities.
Reference List
Bagaeen, S., 2007. ‘Brand Dubai: The instant city; or the instantly recognizable city’, International Planning Studies, 12(2), pp.173-197.
Elessawy, F., 2017. ‘The boom: population and urban growth of Dubai City’, Horizons in Humanities and Social Sciences: An International Refereed Journal, 2(2).
Hannam, K., 2018. ‘Mobilities and eventization: Dubai as a city of speed’, Via Tourism Review, (14).
Kocjan, W., 2017. ‘Smart city Dubai’, Środowisko Mieszkaniowe, 21, pp.116-124.
Virtudes, A., Abbara, A. and Sá, J., 2017. ‘Dubai: a pioneer smart city in the Arabian territory’, IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 245, p.052071.